Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-26
ENGLISH SPARRows.
DEVISING METHODS FOR THEIR
DETERMINATION.
Been Driven Out Arsenic
Must be Used.

AS matter OF TACT, there Is strong
idea gaining root that the English sparrow
is failure and fraud. says the New York
Herald.
He has been given about sixteen years
of patient endurance by long-sutiering
public, and now he finds few other than
sentimental defenders.
Imported with the announced assertion
that his advent would put an end to the
caterpillar nuisance, the English sparrow
has, indeed. diminished the number of GER
tam kinds of caterpillars, but the number
of other varieties has increased meanwhile,
for the pugnacious, quarrelsome sparrow
has relentiessly driven away the native
birds, who were used to their prey and
kept all the pests down.
We have imported new pest to multi
ply in all directions under our careful
guarding, and to spread throughout the
land. 1t has become a serious matter to
consider how the sparrows can be kept
within bounds.
In many parts of this city and Brooklyn,
particularly in the navy yard during the
past summer, swarms of festive, yellow
haired caterpillars, who wiggle in scorn at
all attempts to check their triumphant
march, and saunter gleefully over ali such
distractions as tarred bands and printers
ink placed to thwart their progress, were
the bane and curse of our full-foliaged
trees
With the object of finding out why the
pugnacious sparrow has apparently not
been doing his duty in digesting the depre-
Gently called upon Prof. G. V. Riley, the
United States EntomoIogist
Professor Riley is handsome scientist,
who has devoted lifetime to the study
of our shade trees and their insect enc
mics.
He knows more about caterpilars than
caterpillars know about themselves, and
for a scientific dissection of the "cussed-
ness" of the English sparrow you can
confidently address yourself to Professor
Riley
1.-THE trouble with the yellow, hairy cater
pillar you refer to-" said the Professor, % is
that, as you may have noticed, he has two
little coral red glands on top of his back,
reversible glands, from which is exuded
pungent vapor, and this, in addition to the
hair with which its body is clothed. offers
protection against the attacks of sparrows
The sparrows feed upon some of the
smooth, green worms, like the canker-
worms, which used to be great nuisance
in Eastern States, and keep that species in
check. 1t is under that general law of
harmony in nature which keeps all species
down to 4 certain limit in state of nature
This hairy caterpillar, which is protected
against the sparrow's attack, has had an
opportunity to increase as the other spe-
cies have decreased just in that proper
ton. The English sparrow was introduced
into Boston sixteen years ago, and has
oyerrun the whole country until it has be-
come nuisance. 1t has chased away the
native American birds, which preyed upon
other caterpillars than those devoured by
the sparrow. At that time ! prophesied
the great increase in the number of spar
rows, and the increase of some injurious
insects as a natural consequence of the de-
crease of others"
=" Do you advocate the destruction Of the
English sparrow"
I" Most assuredly, when they become
nuisance. Even now it would be well to
keep them down by encouraging people to
use them as food. They make good sub
stitute for reed birds, and in parts of
southern Europe are considered Il great
delicacy, being sold in open market.
Roasted on Il spit, well basted and
Drowned, they are very good eating
The sparrow is entirely city pest at
present, and because the sparrows do not
frequent the country the native birds keep
certain species of caterpillars, now seen in
nearly all large cities, in check
" Is there no way of checking the march
of the army of yellow caterpillars which
have invaded us ?"
Yes" replied the Professor, referring
to a small pamphlet and reading "The |
pest you refer to is known as the white |
marked tussock moth (Orgyia le,scostjgmG,
Smith q Abbott. In the latitude of St. |
Louis, Mo-, and Washington, the eggs be- |
gin to hatch about the middle of May, and |
the newly born caterpillar, about three
millimeters in length, is of a dull whitish- |
gray color, with the under side paler, the |
upper side being covered with rather long
hairs and tufts of a dark brown color
After the third mott it is a beautiful |
Object, OF striking appearance. The |
head and two little elevated spots situated |
on joints nine and ten are bright vermil- |
ION red; the back is velvety black, with |
two bright yellow subdorsal lines and an
other yellow line along the lower Sides |
The whole body is thinly clothed with |
long, pale-yellow hairs, originating from |
small, wart-llke elevations. That is enough |
descriptive matter.
The caterpillar, though injurious to |
fruit trees, also attacks a great many shade |
trees, having prediction for old or large |
trees.
Gas you noticed in the navv-yard this |
summer, the caterpillar makes no effort to
conceal itself, as it enjoys comparative i'm
munity from enemies, especially birds the
American yellow billed cuckoo. the Balti- |
more oriole and the robin being the only |
species which have been observed to feed |
upon the Larvae. A few soldier bugs, how
ever, OCCASIONALLY suck its juices
"But while the list of enemies that de-
YOUR the species is small, fortunately
that of the parasites is quite larger; and
thus 1t Is, thanks to them, that these cater
pillars are not permanently injurious
Now there is one simple, cheap and
etiicacious remedy applicable to the pest
you have noticed in this city and Brook
lyn, If you wish to be prepared next sea-
son.
" 1t is admitted that they all begin their
work very much at the same season, or as
soon as the leaves are fairly developed.
Thus arsenical mixtures properly sprayed
on the trees about the middle of MAY and
repeated once or twice at intervals of
fortnight later in the season will prove an
etfectual protection to trees of all kinds.
An apparatus for this work such as has
been used on the grounds of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, can be easily and
economically constructed 1t should con-
sist Of a water tank mounted on cart and
furnished with strong force pump and two
sets of rubber tubing of sufficient length,
each hose supported by bamboo extern
sior pole and with cyclone nozzle.
with this apparatus two men can drive
along the streets or through park and
thoroughly spray two trees simultaneously.
The arsenical compound known as
London purple is preferable to white arse
mic or Paris green, as it is not SO liable to
burn the leaves, and its color enables one
to distinguish readily between poisoned |
and non-poisoned trees.
From one quarter to three-quarters Of
a pound of this substance should be used to |
a barrel of water, and with this quantity |
of water ii is best to mix three nt1arts Of |